😱 Elon’s Grok-2 causes controversy

Also: Google's new AI image generator

Author

Evolving AI
August 16, 2024

Welcome, AI enthusiasts

Elon Musk’s new AI chatbot, Grok-2, has sparked controversy by allowing X Premium users to create unregulated and often offensive images. Meanwhile, Google has quietly made its latest text-to-image AI model, Imagen 3, available to all U.S. users through its ImageFX platform. In a recent podcast, DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis argued that current AI capabilities are overrated, but he believes the long-term potential of the technology, particularly in AGI, is still underestimated. Let’s dive in! 

In today’s insights:

  • Elon’s Grok-2 causes controversy

  • Google’s upgraded ‘Imagen' 3’ AI image generator is now available

  • Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says AI is both overhyped and underhyped

Read time: 4 minutes

🗞️ LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Evolving AI: X’s Grok-2 chatbot is turning heads with its unpredictable image generation, raising concerns about safety and ethics.

Key Points:

  • Grok allows the creation of controversial and potentially harmful images, including political figures in provocative scenarios.

  • Despite claiming to have guardrails, Grok generates content that other platforms block, highlighting inconsistencies in its safety measures.

  • The rollout comes as X faces increased scrutiny from global regulators, adding to the platform’s growing list of challenges.

Details:

X’s image generator that is powered by the image model FLUX.1, part of the Grok chatbot, is causing controversy by allowing users to create highly provocative and often inappropriate images. Despite Grok's claims of safety measures, users have generated explicit and misleading images, such as political figures in violent or compromising situations. This has raised alarms, especially with X already under scrutiny from European and UK regulators for potential violations of digital safety laws. The lack of consistent safeguards in Grok contrasts sharply with stricter policies on other platforms, amplifying concerns about the tool's potential misuse.

Source: chrmontessori on X

Why It Matters:

X users are currently dealing with an overwhelming amount of AI-generated content, which is testing the limits of what's acceptable. This situation highlights the significant influence of these technologies and the need for responsible development and use. As AI progresses, it’s crucial for the tech industry, policymakers, and society to tackle the challenges of using these tools in a responsible and ethical way.

Source: Google Deepmind

Evolving AI: Google’s Imagen 3, a highly improved AI image generator, is now accessible to more users in the US, offering higher-quality image creation with advanced features.

Key Points:

  • Google released Imagen 3 on its Vertex AI platform, enhancing image detail, lighting, and reducing artifacts.

  • The tool allows users to edit specific image sections but includes guardrails against generating public figures and copyrighted characters.

  • Imagen 3 contrasts with less restricted tools like Grok, maintaining ethical boundaries while offering powerful image creation capabilities.

Details:

Google has introduced Imagen 3, the latest version of its AI-powered image generator, now available to a broader audience in the US. Announced earlier this year and rolled out recently via the Vertex AI platform, Imagen 3 is designed to deliver superior image quality, boasting better detail, richer lighting, and fewer distracting artifacts than its predecessors. Users can now generate and edit images by simply providing descriptive prompts, with the ability to tweak specific areas within the generated image. Although Google has implemented some content restrictions—such as preventing the generation of images of public figures or weapons—Imagen 3 still allows users to create content closely resembling copyrighted characters by using descriptive prompts.

Why It Matters:

Google claims that Imagen 3 is currently the best AI image model available. Trained on a highly filtered dataset, Imagen 3 outperformed Imagen 2, DALL-E 3, Midjourney v6, Stable Diffusion 3, and Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 in Google's tests, especially in accurately matching text descriptions and handling detailed prompts. While it remains to be seen if it lives up to Google's claims, it's certainly a strong move forward for the company

Source: Google Deepmind

Evolving AI: DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says AI is both overhyped and underhyped, underscoring the need for perspective on its current capabilities and future potential.

Key Points:

  • Current AI capabilities are overstated, with some claims exceeding reality.

  • The long-term potential of AI, particularly AGI, remains underestimated.

  • Hassabis calls for global cooperation in AI regulation to mitigate risks.

Details:

Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, believes that while today's AI models are frequently overestimated, the future potential of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is still being undervalued. He points out that many startups and venture capitalists are chasing ambitious goals that current technology cannot yet achieve. However, Hassabis remains optimistic about AGI, suggesting it could be realized within the next decade, with transformative possibilities for humanity. At the same time, he underscores the need for international cooperation in regulating AI to prevent misuse and ensure that AGI development benefits all of humanity. He envisions a "scientific Avengers" team of top AI researchers guiding the final stages of AGI's evolution.

Why It Matters:

Hassabis’s insights highlight the dual challenge in AI: managing the hype surrounding current technologies while preparing for the profound impacts AGI could bring. Balancing these aspects is crucial for ensuring responsible development and global cooperation in AI.

💡 Tip of the Day

This newly released podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in AI, featuring insights from one of the brightest minds in the field. It cuts through the usual hype to explore DeepMind's latest projects and the crucial role of global collaboration in AI's future. A concise, informative listen for those looking to understand where AI is headed.

🎯SNAPSHOTS

Direct links to relevant AI articles.

🤖 Nous: An open-source typesScript platform for building autonomous AI agents and LLM workflows.

❄️ Snowflake: Snowflake launches Cortex Analyst, an agentic AI system for accurate data analytics

🗞️ Fake news: Wyoming reporter caught using AI to create fake quotes and stories.

🤖 AI bill: California's controversial AI bill is on the verge of becoming law.

📈Trending AI Tools

  • 💸 Expense Sorted - AI-powered tool that automatically categorizes your expenses (link)

  • 🤖 Gaxu - AI-powered marketing assistant at your service 24/7 (link)

  • 👗 Petals-AI Wear - Unique custom clothing designs with AI (link)

  • 🎤 ToneShift - Unleash your creativity with our AI-powered voice cloning, music separation, and community features (link)

  • 🎥 Hify.io - AI-powered tool that seamlessly enables the creation of stunning sales videos directly within your browser (link)

Reply

or to participate.